The target group is people who have visited the ER at least six times over a six-month period. Many are poor and without jobs, and some are homeless. A high percentage have no health insurance.
Many of these people abuse drugs or have untreated mental illness. They also tend to have chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.
Atlanta’s main safety-net hospital, Grady Memorial, is running a program that helps these ER ‘’frequent flyers’’ better manage their health through primary care – and not in an emergency room, which is the most expensive place to get medical services.
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